No messing around, this video starts as it means to go on with some impact development on the pads. As is usual with a British Combat Association production, a very important point is raised early on; that we shouldn’t be hesitant (and thus inefficient) when attacking. Instead, we should make sure that everything we do ‘explodes’; that it’s fast, committed and decisive.

The video goes on to cover stance length and the issues around it, relaxation for impact development in kicking, footwork and biomechanics in kicking, concomitancy when kicking alongside upper-body striking, exposure time and timing in striking, kicking at close ranges, Wing Chun (詠春 ~ yǒng chūn)tactile sensitivity drills (Sticking Hands ~ 黐手 ~ chī shǒu), parrying and blocking drills, recovery and commitment in kicking, intensity, adrenaline, stress, context and setting.

The DVD is unique in that this is the first full seminar Peter has given which covers his own high level martial arts training. Renowned for the “double hip” generating power of his strikes and kicks, this seminar, covered how power is generated and explosive speed with maximum dynamic movement and aggression. All this is shown as well as the key elements in the ultra-fast transitions from punching to kicking and vice versa.

This video, in summary, demonstrates a group of men and women taking part in some excellent martial arts training. What sets it aside from other such videos is that it’s done with intensity. My advice to anyone who feels their training is missing something in terms of intensity is to watch this and take on the general feeling of motivation. Essentially, as Peter says at the end, this training session only has a few basic things in it: jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts and roundhouse kicks more or less. However, the crucial understanding is how they train these basic things at the British Combat Association.

Assistant Instructors who took part in this seminar include Steve Williams, Iain Abernethy, John Skillen and Peter Lakin.

Last week we looked at the excellent first part to this two-part series, which can be found here.

The Training Day videos follow on from the enquiries made after the popular Fit to Fight videos became well-known (part one reviewed here and part 2 reviewed here). As you may expect from a BCA video, this one is excellent. It’s fitness-oriented but is packed full of drills that are very combatively useful. The key point of the approach presented here to training is in developing functional fitness by doing cardio, etc that is at the same time developing combatively useful attributes.

The video begins with an important discussion from Peter about concomitancy or flow when putting movements together – ‘getting the transitions right’ – which is a key understanding for those interested in this kind of training. Training in this kind of high intensity and focussing on a small amount of methods is a great way to work on endurance and stamina while also improving the quality of the movement itself.

The video includes a number of additional drills following from the approach laid out in the first part of this pair, including pressure work and padwork with the focus mitts in threes as well as in pairs, punching and kicking drills, the ‘four-corner blitz’, ducking and weaving drills, shuttle drills, combination drills, repetition drills and pyramid drills.

Interspersed between these drills being demonstrated is Peter explaining key understandings for each section.

There’s also an attempt at the end from Brian Seabright to get 60 roundhouse kicks into a minute!

This video demonstrates, again, a group of highly skilled martial artists at work generating some impressive impact and, of course, making it look easy! I definitely recommend using these training methods yourself.